Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh requests to enhance coordination and information sharing on anti-smuggling

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Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh speaks at the meeting. Photo: T. Binh

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai, Vice Chairman of the Government’s Office Nguyen Duy Hung, Chief of Standing Office of the 389 National Standing Committee Dam Thanh The and others.Strictly following directions of the Government

For customs, Director General of Customs Nguyen Van Can and Deputy Directors General Mai Xuan Thanh and Luu Manh Tuong attended.

Speaking at the meeting, the Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh was impressed with the achievements of the Customs sector in 2019.

He said, in 2019, the General Department effectively followed directions of the Government, Prime Minister, 389 National Steering Committee and the Ministry of Finance.

Especially, administrative reform, customs modernisation and trade facilitation were enhanced; State revenue was higher than estimates; anti-smuggling, anti-trade fraud and anti-counterfeit works were effective. As a result, the Customs force broke many drug crimes across Ha Tinh, Ho Chi Minh City and many other provinces, as well as broke many large illegal transportation cases of ivory and pangolin scales in Hai Phong and Da Nang ports.

In the name of the Government, Binh recognised and appreciated the performance of the General Department of Customs

Deputy Minister of Finance Vu Thi Mai spoke at the meeting. Photo: T. Binh

To make fundamental and remarkable changes in this task, he requested the Ministry of Finance and the Customs sector focus on directions and effective implementation of six task groups:.In terms of 2020 tasks, he stressed smuggling and trade fraud would be complicated with sophisticated tricks.

Firstly, to thoroughly grasp and follow directions of the Government, the Prime Minister and the 389 National Steering Committee on the fight against smuggling, trade fraud and fake goods.

Secondly, to strengthen inspection and examination of public duty performance; repel corruption, political, ethical and lifestyle degradation; to formulate a mechanism on inspecting, monitoring and supervising public duty performance to prevent negativity, corruption, and abuse of power and not to annoy people and businesses and not to reduce their faith in the customs sector. To strictly handle violations and remove the substandard and degenerate.

Thirdly, to uphold and attach unit and individual responsibilities to risk management and declarations classification, to well perform information collection, analysis, assessment and classification to have appropriate inspection and supervision measures, facilitating import and export activities while ensuring efficiency of anti-smuggling and anti-tax losses.

Fourthly, to strengthen coordination, connection and information sharing with competent forces, the Standing Office of the 389 National Steering Committee and especially the market surveillance force.

Fifthly, to promote administrative procedure reform and customs modernisation; publicity of compliance with the law on customs and import and export so tax declarants can give accurate tax calculations at the customs clearance stage.

Sixthly, to expand international cooperation on customs in general; including cooperation on anti-smuggling to promptly detect and prevent foreign goods from abusing Vietnamese origin for export to third countries.

In addition, the Deputy Prime Minister instructed the General Department of Customs to intensify advisory work and proposals on amendments to legal provisions that still have loopholes and inadequacies; to take care of civil servants, especially those who perform duties on the occasion of the Lunar New Year 2020; to coordinate to carry out the anti-smuggling plan before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2020 of the 389 National Steering Committee.

More than 17,000 violations handled

Director General Nguyen Van Can speaks at the meeting. Photo: T. Binh.

Previously, on behalf of the General Department of Customs, Deputy General Director Mai Xuan Thanh reported to the Deputy Prime Minister and the delegation about the work of the Customs sector in 2019.

In particular, the sector handled procedures for volume of goods with a total turnover of up to US$517.26 billion.

Regarding budget revenue, the Customs sector achieved encouraging revenue of VND 348,721 billion, or 116.05 percent of the estimate, 110.5 percent of the target, up 11 percent compared to 2018.

Regarding the fight against smuggling, in 2019, as a standing agency of the 389 Steering Committee of the Ministry of Finance, the General Department of Customs advised the Ministry of Finance to work with other ministries, sectors and agencies to intensify the fight against smuggling, trade fraud, fake goods and illegal cross-border transportation of goods.

As a result, the sector detected, arrested and handled 17,321 violations, up 4.14 percent compared to 2018, with the total value of infringing goods more than VND 3,035 billion, up 78.29 percent.

In particular, the Customs agency criminally prosecuted 51 cases and transferred to other authorities 164 cases for prosecution.

Outstanding cases discovered, arrested and handled by Customs in 2019 were related to fraud, counterfeiting of origin, illegal transmission and goods with images infringing sovereignty; drug-related crimes; illegal transport of rare and precious animals across the country on a large scale

The Deputy Prime Minister presents souvenirs to the General Department of Customs. Photo: T. Binh.

Director General of the General Department of Customs Nguyen Van Can respectfully thanked the Government, the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh for their attention,directions and support for the General Department of Customs.

He expressed his determination that the General Department of Customs would grasp and implement the Deputy Prime Minister's guidance and set targets and tasks for the whole sector this year.

In addition to results reported by Deputy Director General Mai Xuan Thanh, the Director General reported, updated and clarified several key issues that will be focuses of the Customs sector in the near future, especially the struggle against smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeit goods before, during and after the Lunar New Year 2020.